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“Second to none”: Inner Range improves security and access control for a large college in Stockport

Edesix is now the official body-worn camera provider for Her Majesty’s Prison Service throughout the UK.

The Edinburgh-based firm, which has previously secured orders for prisons in Scotland and Northern Ireland, won the contract during a bidding process and its kit will now be rolled out across the prison service in England and Wales.

“The benefits of BWCs within prisons have been widely recognised throughout previous trials; improving staff morale and encouraging a safer working and living environment for those within the prisons,” says Richie McBride, managing director at Edesix.

“Having successfully rolled out our solution to the Police Service of Northern Ireland, our recent contract with the Northern Ireland Prison Service comes as an addition to encouraging a safer working environment within the justice system.”

Said Justice Minister Claire Sugden: “I believe this is a significant and important step in ensuring that prison officers have the right tools to perform their difficult and challenging role and will contribute to a safer prison environment for both staff and prisoners.”

Edesix body-worn cameras are small, lightweight devices designed to be worn on the prison officer’s uniform. Captured footage is encrypted.

The cameras are also used by police, security teams and emergency Services around the globe.

It is hoped that – as with police officers – deployment of cameras will reduce violence against staff and increase accountability.

Speaking in 2015 about trials of the cameras in prisons, the then Justice Secretary Michael Gove said: “If prison officers are wearing body-worn cameras, that does mean they’re less likely to be assaulted, it also means that they are more likely, and I don’t that this is as much of a problem as it was 20 years ago, but it also means that any individual prison officer is more likely to behave appropriately and decently as well.

“It works both ways. It is both protection for the inmate and is protection for the prison officer.”

A report by the chief inspector of prisons Nick Hardwick this year found attacks on prison staff shot up 28 percent since 2010, while latest Ministry of Justice figures showed there were 551 serious assaults in the 12 months to March.

Check out Edesix’s latest products in the flesh at IFSEC International, 20-22 June 2017, London ExCeL. You can find Edesix on stand E350. Get your free badge now.

Sponsored by IDIS ‘The Video Surveillance Report 2017’ covers all things video surveillance based on a poll of hundreds of security professionals. Specifically looking at topics such as open platforms, 4K, low-light cameras, video analytics, warranties and this year due to the growing threat posed, the cybersecurity landscape.